Electromechanical switch mechanism



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

J. A. DUFFY & 0. IRWIN. ELEGTROMBGHANIGAL SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 23, 1903.

. UNITED STATES Patented September 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. DUFFY AND OSCAR IRWIN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNORS OF SIX-TENTH S TO CHARLES D. ARMSTRONG, OF PITTS- BURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRONIECHANICAL SWITCH VIVIECHANISIVI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 770,456, dated September 20, 1904. Application filed December Z3, 1903. Serial No. 186,323. (No model.) I

`T a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES A. DUFFY and OSCAR IRWIN, of Pittsbu rg, Allegheny county,

Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Electromechanical Switch Mechanism, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this speciiication, in which the ligure is a plan view of IO the switch mechanism, showing the mechanical-connections and diagram.

Our invention relates to the automatic reversing of a car or trolley Iupon overhead track.

The invention is specially adapted for use in telpherage systems wherein a car transfers material from one point to another and is then returned to the'starting-point. Y The invention, however, is applicable to the trolleys of 2O cranes and to any carriage which is moved through a path and then returned to the starting-point.

Our invention relates to automatic means for reversing the car-motor at the end of the car travel and also for reversing the motor at the starting-point.

In the drawing we have shown indiagram the connections for the telpherage system arranged according to our invention.. 30 l In the drawing, 2 is the main feed-wire, provided with an end switch 3. The wire 2 leads to the trolley feed-wire 4, which connects to the main trolley feed-wire 5 through a branch connection 6. The wire 2 also connects to the trolley-wire 7, which contains a dead section between the insulators 8 and 9. This dead section of the wire 7 extends throughout the path of the carriage, and at the end of its travel beyond the insulator 8 a 40 live section 10 is located, connected by branch wire 11 from feed-wire 4.

The motor trolley-wheel is indicated at 12, the wire 13 leading therefrom through the fields 14 of the motors 15 and thence down to the center of the shaft 16. The current passing to the shaft 16 flows through the upper plate of a four-point switch to the stationary post 17 and thence through wire 18 to the armatures 15. It then flows through wire 19 to thepost 20 of the switch, thence through the connection 21 to the lower post 22, from post 22 to the shaft 23, and from shaft 23 through wire 24 to the return-circuit 25, preferably consisting of rails. A supplemental trolleywheel 26 runs upon the wire 27, and from this trolley-wheel the wire 27 leads to the electromagnets 28 and thence through the wire 29 to the rail 25, completing the circuit. The armatures 30 of the solenoids are secured to a cross-head 31, having a depending rod 32 with a triangular pivoted lifter 33 at its lower end. This lifter`33 is loosely pivoted at the lower end of the lifter-rod and is provided at its upper end with oppositely-projecting hooks or catches 34` The lifter is provided with a roller 35, which ts within a heart-shaped recess in the plate 36, which forms the frame of the switch mechanism. A spring 37 is connected to the lower end of the lifter and to the post 16, so that whenever the current is cut off from the electromagnet the lifter will be drawn to its rear position, where it is stopped by the roller 35 meeting the end of the slot in the plate. If the mechanism sets vertically, the spring may be omitted, the lifter dropping by the gravity of the attached parts.

Pivoted upon the shaft 16 are the blades 16XL 16h, to the outer ends of whichy are pivoted the hook-bars 38 38, whoseupper hook-lugs 39 project inwardly toward each other. The outwardly-projecting lugs 40 at the upper ends of the hook-bars are provided with rearwardly-projecting rollers which are arranged to ride over the curved surfaces of latches 41. The latches 41 are pivoted within slots inthe plate 36 of the general form shown in the figure and are normally held in the position shown by springs 42, surrounding their pivots and exerting a spring-pressure upon them.

The four-point switch contains the three posts 17, 20, and 22, heretofore mentioned, and also, the post 43. To the lower shaft 23 is pivoted a lever having the plates 44 44', which are connected by insulated links 45 with the plates 16 16.

46 represents the motor-starter, and 47 a ligure.

reversed, the motor drives the telpher backcut-out in the circuit leading from the feedwire to allow the motor returning to stop. The motor-starter is shown in position to start the trolley on its outward travel from the starting-point.

In the drawing of the device the operator draws up the bucket or receptacle carried by the telpher and then throws in the switch 47. The current is thus conveyed tothe trolleymotor, and the telpher is thus moved along its overhead track to the desired distant point. During this travel the auxiliary trolley has been running on a dead section; but when the desired point is reached this auxiliary trolley runs upon the live section 10 and the current passing to the electromagnets energizes them and draws the lifter 33 toward the magnets. As the lifter moves it engages one of the hooked bars, and thereby shifts the fourpoint switch, the parts taking a position which is the opposite of that shown in the The trolley-motol' switch being thus wardly to the starting-point, its auxiliary trolley again enters the live section 7, and the magnets being again energized the trolley-` switch is again reversed and the trolley will start forward under the control of the motorstarter. While the auxiliary trolley is on the dead section the armatures of the magnets will drop by gravity or be drawn back by the spring, and the lifter will take its lower position with the roller 35 at the bottom angle of the slotted opening. It will be noted that at every lifting movement of the switch mechanism the switch is reversed.

The advantages of our invention result from the `automatic reversing of the trolley motor and switch, whereby the car automatically returns to the starting-point. For example, in an ash-dump system after the operator has started the car outwardly it enters the building over the ash-hopper, and the receptacle strikes a latch, which dumps the ashes. Immediately thereafter the auxiliary trolley enters the live section, the trolley-motor switch is reversed, and the telpher is automatically returned to the starting-point.

Many variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the switch-shift mechanism, the car, the connections, &c., without departing from our invention.

We claiml. A car having a main trolley with a feed leading to the car-motor, an auxiliary trolley having a connection to a reversing-switch for the car-motor, and a dead section in the trolley-wire for the auxiliary trolley; substantially as described.

' 2. A car having a main trolley and an auxiliary trolley, an electromagnet connection to the auxiliary trolley, a reversing-switch for the trolley-motor connected to the electromagnet, and a dead section in the auxiliary trolley-wire; substantially as described.

3. An automatic reversing-switch, a rocking lifter, a switch comprising arms arranged to be engaged alternately by the lifter, and

swinging latches governing the movement of the hooked arms; substantially as described.

4. In automatic switch-reversing mechanism, a rocking switch having two hooked bars, connected thereto, latches arranged to guide the movements of the heads of the bars. a rocking lifter arranged to alternately engage the hooks of the bars, and an electromagnet connected to the lifter; substantially as described.

5. An electric car having a main feed connection leading to the car-motor, an auxiliary connection leading' to a reversing-switch for the car-motor, and electrical connections arranged to automatically actuate the reversing-switch at a predetermined point in the travel of the car; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set f H. M. CORWIN, JOHN MILLER. 

